Winter's tale
by dreamland4
Summary: A little story of snowy days and warm cuddles.  I own nothing of Merlin just warmth and love.


**Comments: Well what can I say apart from a little bit way out there. Please review if you can. Not beta'd and a little rushed.**

Gwen wrapped her cloak tighter around her neck, winter in Camelot's were rarely this bad... Gwen looked at the scene before her it was as if all colour had been taken out of the scene leaving just white...and it was still snowing hard. She took a deep breath ready to make the journey home.

"Where do you think you are going?" She would recognise Arthur's voice anywhere.

Gwen turned to look at him...his face was a mixture of amusement and concern. "Good evening Sire...as you can see I am going home"

Arthur crossed his arms and stood in front of her "I think not"

Gwen looked surprised and then quickly replied back "I think so...my lord"

"You cannot walk home in this" Arthur's face screwed up and he pointed at the snowy canvas before them.

Gwen stood a little taller, she wanted to go home...the last few days had been a real trial with the dignitaries visiting and then having to stay due to the sudden change in weather. Normally she would have stayed in the servants quarters...but Morgana had now told her she no longer needed her too, and despite how much that had hurt her she had agreed and moved what little belongings she had out of the room.

"Thank you for your concern...but I will be fine" Gwen put her hood up and confidently took a step out into the...she gasped, freezing deep snow. It covered past her knees and she cursed herself for being so short and wearing shoes. Her feet and legs stung as if needles were being stabbed into them...

"It's an order Guinevere" Gwen ignored him and took few more confident steps, refusing to let any further sounds of her discomfort come from her lips.

Arthur shook the snow of his head as he watched Guinevere take a few steps, he had to smile she really was so stubborn.

Gwen's body was shaking, but she refused to look back at Arthur's smug face, so she went to take another step but somehow the snow seemed to disappear before her and she found herself in Arthur's arms. "PUT ME DOWN"

During the lift her shoes had been left in the snow, Gwen looked back at the few foot prints she had made and tried to wriggle from his hold "You are under arrest"

Gwen turned her head to look at him "For what?" Arthur perfect white skin and his golden hair now had large flakes of snow on them but his eyes glinted mischievously.

"For disobeying a direct order of course" Gwen tried to wriggle from his hold but he only pulled her tighter to his snowy chest, she shivered.

"So what...you are going to send me to the dungeons shoeless for wanting to go home?" Gwen could not believe it Arthur was now carrying her into the castle, if it had been not such a public place she might have thought the gesture romantic.

Arthur looked at her feet and smiled "Possibly" he covered Gwen's feet over with his cloak.

She was getting fed up with this game, it was very late..she was tired, hungry and now freezing cold. "Put me down...at least let me walk to the dungeons!"

Arthur tried to look serious as he peered down at her "Oh I don't think so Guinevere, you might try and escape"

Gwen let out a laugh "What with no shoes?"

"One can never been to sure with criminals"

Gwen let out a puff of air she needed to make him see reason if anyone saw them like this, it would cause no end of trouble. "Arthur please, you cannot carry me...just think of how it looks"

Arthur fell silent for a moment and then changed his direction still not letting her get down...Gwen gave up fighting and rested her head against his shoulder...where ever he was taking her, she hoped it was warm.

A wooden door opened and he carried her up the stairs and she knew where she was, he was taking her to his chambers! Gwen blushed and Arthur couldn't help but notice and smiled.

When they arrived in his chambers Merlin stood there a silly grin on his face at the sight of them. Gwen was shoeless and soaked as the snow had began to melt and Arthur had dripping cold water coming down his face.

"Merlin...get some food and extra blankets" Gwen looked at Merlin saying help me, but Merlin just smiled cheekily and left.

Arthur walked up to the bed and just dropped Guinevere on it, she gasped and blushed even redder, Gwen immediately sat up and went to get off put Arthur held his hand there gesturing her to stay.

He then ran his hands through his wet hair and seemed to be thinking" First things first...clothes off... before you catch you catch a cold"

Gwen gasped "Arthur!"

Arthur didn't seem to notice that what he said was wrong, instead he just wandered to his draw's lifting up tunics and chucking them on the floor "Ahh" Arthur picked up a white tunic and looked from the tunic to Guinevere and then threw it over his shoulder and continued looking through more drawers.

All Gwen could do was stare, Arthur was throwing clothes all over the place as if looking for a lost treasure, she was on his bed and he was ordering her to take her clothes off... Gwen pinched herself maybe she was dreaming. Owww no not dreaming.

"Here we go" Arthur walked over and placed his hand out with clothes for her "Well take it...get changed" he looked like he was ordering his knight to do something not telling a women to change into his tunic.

"Arthur I can't ...I should"

Arthur shook his head "It is snowing outside, the castle if full of dignitaries and from what I have heard you have _no other place_ in the castle to stay...so get changed before you catch a cold" He stood taller "Guinevere...that is an order" Gwen shivered and she knew Arthur was right...she needed to get out of these clothes. Now she wished she had not moved all of her clothes out of her old room. "This isn't right"

"Now Guinevere" Arthur pointed to his changing area a determined look on his face.

"I can't sleep here" Gwen looked at the one bed and gulped.

"Yes you can, now go" he looked like he was telling a child, Gwen sighed and walked slowly towards the changing room.

This was ridiculous, once out of these cold clothes, she would go and sleep with Gauis and Merlin, she could definitely not sleep here...as much as cuddling Arthur by the fire sounded appealing it was a luxury neither of them could afford.

Gwen placed the clothes Arthur had given her on a chair and untied her dress it dropped to the floor with a wet thud.

Arthur paced around a smile on his face, Guinevere was in his chambers and he would get to spend the whole night with her...thank you snow! Arthur heard the thud of her dress hitting the floor and he gulped. "I hope it is big enough" he placed his hand over his mouth, stupid comment.

Big enough? Gwen lifted the large red tunic in her hand how big did he think she was? She knew she wasn't exactly slim, but larger than Arthur in body with all those muscles he has! Gwen shook her head "It is fine thank you" she must not think of Arthur as a tall, handsome Knight. She must think of him as Prince Arthur...forbidden fruit. Gwen placed the tunic over her, it fell down to past her knees and then picked up the trousers he had put there, she placed them on but they were way too long and big. She tried to fold up the legs but they just looked stupid.

"Are you alright?" Arthur asked concerned.

Gwen sighed this was pointless so she took the trousers off and folded them back up and stepped back out into the room.

"Ahh finall..." Arthur looked Guinevere up and down and smiled approvingly, Gwen blushed bright red "You look, well warm and well with less than I ...well anyway good"

The silence was thick between them Gwen pulling the tunic trying to make it longer, Arthur trying not to look at her legs.

"Well I should um...Get changed" And with that Arthur was gone out of view. Guinevere let out a puff of air, could this be any more awkward?

Merlin came in and almost dropped the tray of food Gwen stood there in Arthur's tunic his clothes all over the floor...he smiled and took steps back to leave.

"No Merlin" Gwen grabbed him by the arm pulling him down to whisper "You have to say I must stay with you...he seems to think I am sleeping here!"

Merlin smiled "It's a bit late to be shy Gwen" Gwen hit him hard on the arm.

"Merlin! What kind of girl do you think I am?" she whispered.

"Sorry" Merlin felt guilty he knew Gwen was a lady. "Are you sure you don't want to stay...it seems he wants to spend time with you"

Gwen looked horrified "This isn't a game Merlin"

Arthur came out to find Merlin and Gwen whispering in the corner "Did I miss something?"

They both turned immediately Merlin smiled "No..." Gwen elbowed Merlin.

"I was just offering for Gwen to stay in my room" Gwen rolled her eyes as Arthur's smile turned to anger and he crossed his arms.

"I meant she could have my room and I could stay somewhere else completely...her door would be locked...she would be alone" Arthur looked between them two, he didn't want her leaving he wanted to spend time with her.

"No"

"NO?" Merlin and Gwen said at the same time.

"Exactly no...you may leave now Merlin, Guinevere is staying with me" Gwen looked at Arthur horrified.

"I really don't think that's a good idea...someone could come in" Merlin tried.

"Quite honestly Merlin I don't give a damn what you think and if you are so concerned with intruders, you have just won yourself a night sleeping outside my chambers" Arthur grabbed a blanket and threw it at him "You can make sure we are not disturbed"

Arthur walked over and grabbed Guinevere's hand and dragged her to a chair by the fire, he was going to have an evening with her if it killed him "Sit" and she did her face red.

Merlin looked between Gwen and Arthur who was now coming towards him a dangerous look on his face he took the tray of him and with his spare hand gave him a shooing motion.

"But Arthur..." Arthur put the tray down on the table and then grabbed Merlin by the shoulders physically forcing him out of the room and then the shut the door and bolted it, he rubbed his hands together grabbed the tray and stood before Guinevere.

"Guinevere...you must be starving" he said in a charming manner that would melt any women's heart.

Gwen didn't quite know what to say to all of this, she couldn't believe it Arthur was not allowing her to go home, now he forced her to wear his tunic and stay the night...she must be dreaming and it was a very dangerous dream.

"Thank you" was all she could say.

"Excellent" Arthur pulled a table over and placed the food on it, he poured two goblets of wine and handed one to Guinevere.

"Thank you"

Arthur raised his goblet "A toast...to us"

Gwen raised her eyebrows and lifted her goblet up, she wanted to say something like 'stop this', or 'this can never be', or 'please can I go home to my lonely house' but words did not fall instead she found her goblet touching his and she drank down some wine.

They now sat in silence and the only sound that could be heard was the crackling fire...Guinevere tried to just concentrate on the food which Arthur had given her rather than raising her eyes to look at the Prince, who had watched her every move

"You don't like pork?" Arthur noticed as she left it to the side of her plate.

Gwen looked up "No...it's silly really"

"What is?" he wanted to know everything.

Gwen blushed "I wouldn't want to waste your time...my lord"

"Guinevere?"

Gwen sighed "Well father got paid once with a piglet and when he brought it home he let me care for it until it got bigger and then..." Gwen bit her lip "I refused to let him eat it"

Arthur laughed out loud and Gwen couldn't help but smile and the mood between them lightened instantly in their laughter. "What happened?"

Gwen looked a little ashamed "Well I kept him for a while...and then winter drew in and business was not so good" Gwen fiddled with the sleeve of the tunic "So I sold him myself and gave my father the money"

Arthur smiled that was his Guinevere always doing the right thing..."How old where you?"

"About seven"

"I bet you were a little angel" Arthur smiled as if he could see her at seven years old standing before him.

Gwen laughed "No...in fact I gave my father a headache...I was always getting into trouble"

"Trouble, what kind of trouble did you get into?"

Gwen bit her lip thinking whether to tell him "Come on Guinevere...prey tell me, my image of you would be collecting flowers with other girls and I bet you had braids in your hair"

Gwen laughed out loud "Collecting flowers, no..I was more into fighting back then" Arthur sat up straight a smile crossing his lips.

"Fighting..surely not?" Gwen just took the image of a perfect little girl and went and surprised him again.

"I did, I always wanted to be treated as an equal...so as the boys were less inclined to let me play with them...I often ended up conflicting with them"

Arthur laughed and banged his hands on the chair "Guinevere you will never cease to amaze me...now tell me more, tell me about these fights?"

And so she did, tale after tale each one as surprising as the next...in the end the Guinevere as a child in Arthur's mind was a knight in the making...all of the battles she took as a child were not for silly things like toys and fun, but were for greater causes like a child being picked on, or a child stealing from another...she was truly an amazing women.

As the laughter stopped Arthur found that he had leant forward his face mere inches from Guinevere's, he lifted his hand and stroked a curl from her face "You know you really are the most remarkable women I have ever met"

"Then you must not have met many women" Gwen couldn't help but smile, so did Arthur.

"Oh I have met many women, but never one who has captured my heart" he moved even closer his breath tickling her lips, Gwen closed her eyes and Arthur took it as acceptance and kissed her.

The kiss was meant to be tender and Arthur was sure that was how he started it, but Guinevere had other ideas...she ran her hands up into Arthur's hair and pulled him even closer to her, Arthur came off the chair and now was kneeling in front of her the kissing never breaking apart. It was nothing like the others they had shared it was full of need, passion and love...so much love that they couldn't seem to get close enough Arthur pulled Guinevere down onto him and onto the ground, there was no gap between them their bodies perfectly fitting together. Arthurs hands rubbed up and down her back and Guinevere held tight to Arthur's golden hair making sure he could not move.

The kiss was perfection and Arthur never wanted to end it...it was Guinevere who pulled away first needing air...she leaned her forehead to his and they both let out short gasping breaths.

"Well that was..." Arthur started to say and then they both laughed...Guinevere rolled off of Arthur and lay next to him, the fire lighting up her face. Arthur moved his arm so it held her and she shifted to rest her head on his shoulder and Arthur grabbed her hand in his and played with her fingers.

"You know at night Guinevere, I dream of this"

"What arresting maids for wanting to go home...forcing them to dress in your clothes...and..."

"Well not quite" Arthur laughed, he raised Gwen's hand and kissed it "I dream of us together every day just laughing and holding eachother as if we were..." Arthur hesitated.

"Just a man and a women...not Prince Arthur and a servant" Gwen finished for him.

Arthur sighed he felt a tight feeling in his heart but he carried on "I was going to say as if we were man and wife"

"That is an impossible dream" Gwen turned to face the fire not wanting him to see the tears threatening to fall as their light hearted banter turned to the cruel realities of their situation.

"Not to me...to me it is the only future that is acceptable to me" Arthur placed his hands on Guinevere and turned her over to face him, he placed his hand on her chin and lifted it up so she looked at him.

"I love you Guinevere...a kind of love I never thought possible, so you see our future together it is not just a dream but a necessity for me, the very air that I breathe, so please Guinevere have a little faith in us"

The tears fell and Guinevere leaned up and kissed Arthur, she kissed away the millions of reasons for why this would never happen and focused on the one thing that was real right now Arthur's lips.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Merlin entered in the morning he found them not in the bed but fully clothed cuddled together by what was left of the fire. Merlin smiled and closed the door...they were the reason for everything he did... they were the future King and Queen of Camelot and that thought warmed him very soul.


End file.
